Side damage repair

[rthorntontx]

Hi All,

My 5th wheel got in a fight with a metal roof overhang and lost. The damage to the side is not too bad:



I’d like to repair this myself.

Using a fiberglass repair kit seems overkill (right)? And I’m concerned my amateur results will look unsightly. I’ve never used one before either. I saw in another thread a reference to TAP fiberglass repair so suppose I could take a crash course (pun intended).

I was wondering about using a tube of beige silicone to fill in the gaps?

I was also considering a wood putty type of material but wonder if it would be too rigid when dry compared to the flex of the silicone sealant? Or, if the rigidity even matters? Or, how well it would adhere to the siding?

The rig is stored in a covered lot so my concern is when we're out camping. We're mainly weekenders.

Thanks for the advice.

Robert

[TucsonJim]

I would not used silicone to fill the gap. Once the silicone touches the fiberglass, it is very difficult to remove if you want to do a proper patch job later
Wood putty may allow water penetration, so I'd not consider that one either.
Fiberglass patching is really not too difficult. You may even be able to find a repair person to come to you. And if it's too pricey, you could file an insurance claim.

If it's going to be exposed to the elements, I'd put a piece of water proof tape over the damaged area to prevent moisture penetration.

Jim

[Jlawles2]

You may want to tag Rob and see what he thinks about using marine tex for repair of fiberglass being from the boating world.

[howson]

West Systems' YouTube channel has a slew of informational videos. https://www.youtube.com/@WestSystemEpoxy

Try searching (using Google or DuckDuckGo) for west system basic application techniques

Note that the styrofoam sandwiched between the fiberglass (and luan) will melt if exposed to an incompatible chemical. Be very careful when filling that gap to use a compatible substance.

Finally, there's also two vinyl stickers that are damaged. The GD parts department sells replacements. See https://gdrvowners.com/forum/main-fo...nddesignrv-com

Howard

[Cate&Rob]

As howson Howard has noted, most of the damage is under the decals. I would peel these back and repair the fibreglass. I am partial to West System products (as that is all I have ever used) but, there are others. New decals will cover most of the repair.

Rob

[TribForce]

For this repair my personal choice would be Bondo. This stuff works on everything. I use it to patch woodpecker holes in my house. When I am done you cannot see where they were. They make a version intended for fiberglass too.

[rthorntontx]

Thanks all for the guidance!